Linking Vocational Education and Training to Labour Market Needs
Jasmina Behan, Senior Researcher with FÁS and Expert Group on Future Skills Needs
May 2013
Outline
• Background
• Identification of skill needs in Ireland
• Integrating LMI to VET provision in Ireland
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Ireland: Unemployment
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Unemployment rate
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Policy response Ireland: ‘Pathways to work’ (2012) – policy statement on LM activation
Second strand: greater targeting of activation places and opportunities
“we will target resources to maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of the programmes with a view to delivering a greater focus on keeping the unemployed close to the labour market. We are reviewing training and further education options so that employment prospects for participants are improved’.
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EU: Labour market relevance of VET
• Europe 2020 Strategy (2010) – Initiatives: An agenda for new skills and jobs; Youth on the move; European platform against poverty
• Bruges Communiqué (2010) European Cooperation in VET 2011-2020 ‘VET curricula should be outcome-oriented and more responsive to labour market needs’
• European Commission: VET for better skills, growth and jobs (Accompanying document - Communication from the Commission: Rethinking Education: Investing in skills for better socio-economic outcomes); Nov 2012 ‘VET at all levels (not only higher education) is incorporated in national, regional and local economic strategies which connect skills supply and demand, based on systematic skills monitoring and anticipation’
• European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) – extensive research VET; Renewing vocational education and training to tackle skill mismatch (Tessaloniki, June 2013)
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VET positive outcomes
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VET
Employment
Progression to further or
higher education and
training
Wider benefits of learning:
Social benefits
Wider benefits of learning:
Personal development
Wider benefits of learning : Professional development
To achieve employment as an outcome for an increasing number of VET graduates, VET curricula needs to be aligned to the identified skill needs of the economy.
Identification of skill needs in Ireland • Expert Group on Future Skills Needs - established in 1997 • Advise to Government on skills issues • Reports to 2 Ministers: Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Department of
Education and Skills • Membership
– Government (DJEI, DES, DF, HEA, IUA, FÁS, VEC, EI, IDA, Forfás, NALA, Skillnets) – Employers (IBEC, ISME and companies) – Employees (ICTU) – OECD
• Chair: Ms Una Halligan (HP) • Secretariat (Forfás) • Skills and Labour Market Research Unit, FÁS • National Skills Database
National Skills Database
Demand
Employment
Employers’ views
Immigration
Job seekers
Recruitment agency survey
Private sources of vacancies
PES Vacancies
Job announcem
ents
Supply
HE applications
HE enrolments
HE graduates
HE First destination
survey
FET awards
Training follow up
survey
Unemployment
Job seekers
Research output
• National Skills Bulletin (annual since 2005)
• Monitoring Ireland’s Skills Supply (annual since 2006)
• Vacancy Overview (annual since 2010)
• Regional Labour Markets Bulletin (annual since 2012)
• Occupational Employment Forecasts (Every three years)
• Apprenticeship Forecasts (annual since 2009)
• Sectoral studies (e.g. construction, engineering, healthcare etc.)
• Statistic profiles (e.g. bio-pharma, green, trade etc.)
• Input into policy documents (e.g. National Skills Strategy, Immigration etc.)
• Labour supply forecasting model
• Quantitative model for workforce planning in healthcare
• Internet: Skills portal 10
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Recent research findings: vacancies
• Although the number of newly advertised vacancies is significantly lower than at the peak in 2007, vacancies continue to arise
• Vacancies are most frequent for the following occupations
– Sales, marketing and customer service
– Science and engineering professionals (IT, design engineers, process, lab)
– Business professionals (finance, accounting, regulation, QC)
– Administrative occupations (book-keepers, payroll clerks, financial clerks)
– Caring personal services (care workers, nursing assistants)
– Catering occupations (chefs, waiters, kitchen/catering assistants)
– Managers (production, warehousing, HR , financial, retail)
• Frequent requirements: tertiary level qualifications, languages and experience
• Small changes in employment levels between 2011 and 2012 suggests that most of the vacancies are arising due to replacement and turnover
Labour market transitions (sum of four quarters in 2012)
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Employment
Unemployment
Inactivity
Inter-
occupational
90,000
Intra-occupational
140,000
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0,0
00
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0,0
00
• ICT professionals (e.g. software and web development, IT business analysts and systems designers)
• engineering experts (e.g. production/process, quality control, industry regulatory compliance specialists, research and design, electrical)
• scientists (e.g. chemists, biological analysts)
• finance specialists (analysts (financial, risk and recovery), regulatory affairs specialists)
• healthcare professionals (e.g. doctors, radiographers, senior specialist nurses, geriatric nurses, speech and language therapists)
• sales (e.g. multilingual and customer care roles)
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Difficult to fill vacancies
Policy use
• Education and training provision (e.g. Momentum, Springboard, HE, VET)
• Labour market (e.g. Jobs Bridge etc.)
• Immigration (e.g. DJEI Green card system, list of eligible occupations)
• Career guidance (The Institute of Guidance Counsellors, PES, fairs etc.)
• Other (e.g. DoHC, Taoiseach, North-South, IDA, regional)
Integrating skills research into training provision in Ireland
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Skills research unit
Strategic planning
unit
Training centre 1
Training centre 2
Training centre
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Learners
FÁS Irish Training and
Employment Authority
Training
Public Employment
Services
Vocational Education
Committees (VECs)
Higher Education Authority (HEA)
Universities Institutes of Technology
Primary education
Secondary Education
Department of Education and Skills
National Qualifications Authority of
Ireland (NQAI)
Higher Education and Training
Awards Council (HETAC)
Further Education and Training
Awards Council (FETAC)
Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN)
Social Welfare
Department of Social Protection
Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Further Education and Training Authority (SOLAS)
Higher Education Authority (HEA)
Universities Institutes of Technology
Primary education
Secondary Education
Department of Education and Skills
Quality and Qualifications
Ireland (QQI)
Social Protection and Public Employment
Services
Department of Social Protection
Education and Training Boards
Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN)
ESF funded training in Ireland
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Programme Duration Estimated participants (2013)
Full-time adult day courses
Specific Skills Training 6mths+ 10,000
Traineeships 4-9mths 5,000
Bridging/Foundation 4-6 months 2,300
Back to work 8 weeks + Up to 100
Community Training Provision
Local Training Initiative varied (long) 4,500
Community Training Centres varied (long) 3,500
Momentum 6,500
Contact details Jasmina Behan Senior Research Officer, FÁS and Expert Group on Future Skills Needs Tel. ++ 353 1 607 74 40 [email protected] www.skillsireland.ie www.fas.ie